Stop the Scottish Government Dismantling Abortion Law by the Backdoor

The Scottish Government, without consulting the Scottish people or subjecting these proposals to Parliamentary scrutiny, have made one of the most significant policy changes in abortion practice since 1967 - announcing that women will now be able to perform a part of the medical abortion process at home. They have also announced they will now be offering free abortions in Scotland to Northern Ireland residents.

Medical abortions: So-called ‘medical’ abortions involve taking two drugs, the second of which can now be taken when a woman is at home.

Permitting the second part of this medical procedure to happen at home has happened entirely through the back-door – there has been no public consultation of Parliamentary scrutiny.

Parliament – both in Westminster and Holyrood – has remained neutral on this topic, allowing members of Parliament to vote on this matter in accordance with their conscience. Now however, the Scottish Government have made an executive decision to permit this practice.

Now, in Scotland, it is possible for medical abortions to take place with even less medical supervision. (If you wish to know precisely what a medical abortion involves and the many potential negative effects – aside from the death of the baby boy or girl in utero – please click on this link)

It seems that ultimately this is a money saving, and for private abortion clinics, a profit-driven move. Chemical abortions are cheaper than surgical abortions, as a physician does not have to be paid to perform the abortion - and now could be even cheaper given their will be less medical supervision of the process.

Yet chemical abortions are also frequently acknowledged to be far more traumatic than surgical abortions, as women have to expel their baby from their body themselves. This seems to be a clear instance of putting profit before patient care.

Free Abortions for Northern Irish Women: abortion is currently illegal in Northern Ireland except in limited circumstances. Yet the Scottish Government is intent on completely undermining the sovereignty of Northern Ireland by paying for Northern Ireland residents to have abortions in Scotland.

There has also been outrage in Northern Ireland about this change undermining the rights of parents, as the Scottish Government have not ruled out that they will be paying for abortions for girl who are under-16.

The funding has also not been matched with any new support for parents from Northern Ireland who want to keep their baby - so it amounts an additional incentive to abort without any additional incentive to keep a baby.

As was confirmed earlier this year by the Advertising Standards Authority, because of their abortion law, a conservative estimate of 100,000 people are alive today in Northern Ireland. This is a great achievement and this move by the Scottish government directly undermines Northern Ireland’s ability to use their devolved law to continue to save lives / reduce the number of women affected by abortion in the future.

It is also hypocritical of the Scottish Government to seek further devolution of power from Westminster on one hand, and then on the other hand, work to undermine a devolved policy in another jurisdiction.

Both these decision are deeply disappointing and show that the English abortion lobby driven by abortion providers BPAS and Marie Stopes International are extending their reach to have an unprecendented influence on the Scottish Government. This must stop.

Please sign this petition to the Scottish Government, demanding that the democratic autonomy of Northern Ireland not be undermined in this manner, and that the Scottish Parliament be permitted to vote on all changes to abortion law and practice.

As you are aware, the Scottish Government had recently agreed to provide free abortions for women from Northern Ireland and have also authorised the taking of the second of two abortion pills in a chemically-induced abortion at home.

These are both major changes: the Scottish Government’s decision to allow the taking of abortion inducing drugs at home took place without Parliamentary scrutiny and their decision to allow free abortions for women from Northern Ireland directly undermines the sovereignty of Northern Ireland.

1. This drive to have women taking the second abortion pill at home is likely to be for the purposes of cutting costs, or, in the case of private abortion clinics, increasing revenue.

Medical abortions are generally considered to be more traumatic than surgical abortions because they often involve a woman seeing a dead embryo or fetus. Clearly intended to increase the uptake of medical abortions and cut the cost of a second appointment, this is evidently an instance of cost cutting being put before patient care.

Furthermore, Parliament, both in Westminster as well as Holyrood have generally remained neutral on this issue allowing a free vote of members of Parliament. The Scottish Government’s decision however, has ignored the will of its members.

2. Providing free abortions in Scotland for residents of Northern Ireland is a direct attack on the devolved autonomy of the democratically-elected Stormont Assembly and Government, which continue to prohibit abortion in most instances.

The funding has also not been matched with any new support for parents from Northern Ireland who want to keep their baby - so it amounts to an additional incentive to abort without any additional incentive to keep a baby.

As was confirmed earlier this year by the Advertising Standards Authority, because of their abortion law, a conservative estimate of 100,000 people are alive today in Northern Ireland. This is a great achievement and this move by the Scottish government directly undermines Northern Ireland’s ability to use their devolved law to continue to save lives / reduce the number of women affected by abortion in the future.

It is also appears hypocritical of the Scottish Government to seek further devolution of power from Westminster on one hand, and then on the other hand, work to undermine a devolved matter in another jurisdiction.

I demand that Parliament is properly consulted on both these matters and that the Scottish Government ceases to undermine the democratic autonomy of Northern Ireland.

Sincerely,[Your Name]

Stop the Scottish Government Dismantling Abortion Law by the Backdoor

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